EU labor law: methodological recommendations for advocates presented at UNBA

For millions of Ukrainians who have left the country due to the war, knowledge of European Union labor law has become extremely important. Key EU directives, International Labor Organization standards, and European Court of Human Rights case law have been compiled in a separate handbook.

The Ukrainian National Bar Association has presented methodological recommendations entitled «EU Labor Law: Basics for Ukrainian Advocate», which are designed to help lawyers navigate European labor standards and practices.

According to official data, the highest employment rates among our citizens are recorded in Lithuania, the Netherlands, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Spain, and Ireland. Ukrainians mostly work in the service, construction, trade, and industrial sectors. Although approaches to integration vary, common challenges remain, such as overcoming language barriers and entering the labor market.

The methodological recommendations consist of five sections:

1. The main sources of labor law in the European Union that are applicable in Ukraine.
2. Key EU labour law directives for application in Ukrainian legislation.
3. Application of the provisions of the European Social Charter (revised) in Ukraine.
4. Application of International Labour Organization instruments in the provision of legal aid.
5. European Court of Human Rights case law on labour disputes in the activities of advocates.

European labor law does not cover the entire field of employment, but it establishes basic social standards that member states must comply with:

• working conditions (working hours, part-time work and fixed-term employment contracts, employment of workers);
• information and consultation of workers (on collective redundancies, transfers of companies, etc.).

The publication was authored by representatives of the UNBA Committee on Labor Law and members of the Center for Labor Law and Social Security of the Higher School of Advocacy: Viktoria Polishchuk, Kateryna Tsvetkova, Dmytro Navrotskyi, Nataliia Kaida, Alla Andrushko, Anastasiia Yakimova, Nataliia Kokhan, and Iryna Shaposhnikova.

The purpose of the publication is to provide Ukrainian advocates with practical guidance on the European regulatory framework in the field of labor, which increasingly affects their daily work.

The methodological recommendations «EU Labor Law: Basics for Ukrainian Advocate» can be downloaded at link.